Letter from Emma Smith, 25 April
1837

Your letter
was welcomed both by friends and foes, we were glad enough to hear that
you was well, and our enemies think they have almost found you, by seeing
where the letters were mailed. We are all well as usual except Mother

is not quite as well as
common. Our family is small and yet I have a great deal of business to see
to, Brother Tenny has not moved yet, and he does not know
when he will, we have taken possession of all the room we could get.

I have got all the money that I have had any chance to, and as
many goods as I could well, I have not got much at
Chester

Surveyed 1796 and 1801. Area settled, 1801–1802. Initially called Wooster. Name changed to Chester and officially incorporated as township, 1816. Population in 1830 about 550. Population in 1840 about 960. JS purchased land for store in Chester, 1836–1837...

, no money at all, there is so many
a watching that place that there is no prospect of my getting any thing of
consequence there.

Brother Knights will tell you better about the business
than I can write, as there is but a moment for me to improve. I cannot
tell you my feelings when I found I could not see you before you left, yet
I expect you can realize them, the children feel very anxious
about you because they dont know where you have gone; I verily feel that
if I had no more confidence in God than some I could name, I should be in
a sad case indeed but I still believe that if we humble ourselves, and are
as faithful as we can be we shall be delivered from every snare
that may
be laid for our feet, and our lives and property
will be saved and we redeemed from all unreasonable encumbrances.

My time is
out, I pray that God will keep you in purity and safety till we all meet
again.

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

Your letter
was welcomed both by friends and foes, we were glad enough to hear that
you was well, and our enemies think they have almost found you, by seeing
where the letters were mailed. We are all well as usual except Mother

is not quite as well as
common. Our family is small and yet I have a great deal of business to see
to, Brother Tenny has not moved yet, and he does not know
when he will, we have taken possession of all the room we could get.

I have got all the money that I have had any chance to, and as
many goods as I could well, I have not got much at
Chester

Surveyed 1796 and 1801. Area settled, 1801–1802. Initially called Wooster. Name changed to Chester and officially incorporated as township, 1816. Population in 1830 about 550. Population in 1840 about 960. JS purchased land for store in Chester, 1836–1837...

, no money at all, there is so many
a watching that place that there is no prospect of my getting any thing of
consequence there.

Brother Knights will tell you better about the business
than I can write, as there is but a moment for me to improve. I cannot
tell you my feelings when I found I could not see you before you left, yet
I expect you can realize them, the children feel very anxious
about you because they dont know where you have gone; I verily feel that
if I had no more confidence in God than some I could name, I should be in
a sad case indeed but I still believe that if we humble ourselves, and are
<as> faithful as we can be we shall be delivered from every snare
that may
be laid for our feet, and our lives and property
will be saved and we redeemed from all unreasonable encumbrances.

My time is
out, I pray that God will keep you in purity and safety till we all meet
again.

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

First permanent white settlers arrived, ca. 1789. Included village of Palmyra. Erie Canal opened, 1825, in southern portion of township. Population in 1810 about 2,200. Population in 1830 about 3,400. Home of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith family, beginning...